Letters To The Editor

It is interesting that so many doctors support efforts to have government cap monetary compensation awarded to victims of medical malpractice.

I believe those same doctors would be up in arms if the government attempted to cap the fees charged by doctors.

Paul Ruszczyk

Cheshire

The writer is an attorney who practices business law.

Thoughts On

State's Open Space

The Jan. 30 editorial ``Vanishing Open Space'' rightly lauds New Jersey's open space policy as an example for Connecticut to follow.

In the mid-1990s, New Jersey committed to a $1 billion open space acquisition program that included $400 million for farmland protection. By comparison, Connecticut committed $160 million for open space over the past five years and only $5 million for farmland preservation.

Connecticut is famous worldwide for its beautiful and bountiful agricultural landscapes and rural quality of life, yet our farmland protection program remains woefully underfunded in comparison to the open space program.

Without a vigorous and well-funded farmland protection program, Connecticut's remaining 380,000 acres of unprotected farmland will be gone before the middle of this century. Connecticut cannot preserve its environment and quality of life without a substantial and, above all, equitable investment in all its natural resources -- including our precious and irreplaceable farmland.

Elizabeth B. Wheeler

Director of

Agricultural Programs

The Hartford Food System

Hartford

I was happy to read ``Vanishing Open Space.'' But buying land, imposing temporary moratoriums and encouraging metropolitan development are not enough.

With the U.S. population projected to reach about 400 million people by 2050, we can't expect all those additional people to live in metropolitan areas. The only long-term practical way to conserve open space is to reduce population growth. Whether this is done by reducing immigration, expanding teen pregnancy prevention programs or other means, our political leaders are going to have to address the issue.

The Courant could also help by stating its views regarding more practical long-term solutions.

As we watch our roads get more congested and our woods disappear, it's not fair to future generations to keep postponing action on such a vital issue.

Jeffrey O'Donnell

Bristol

Depressing Day

For News

What a dissappointing way to start the day. I read the Feb. 5 Courant and was immediately confronted with three stories that pained my heart.

First, state Democrats are pushing for a tax hike [Page 1, ``Democrats Push Tax Hike For Income Over $53,000'']. Surprise, surprise.

Next, Sen. Christopher Dodd is pushing more big-government programs, this time forcing companies to pay people for six weeks of family and medical leave [news story, ``Dodd To Push Bill For Paid Leave'']. Unbelievable. He just doesn't get it. Does he think that the money companies would be forced to pay for work not being done is just going to fall from the sky?

Third, there is a group of whiners who don't want to send Americans into space because it may be too risky [Page 1, ``Need For Manned Missions Debated''].

I think everyone aboard the space shuttle Columbia would have acknowledged that re-entering the Earth's atmosphere at approximately 17,000 miles per hour comes with some inherent risk.

Columbia was an incredible tragedy, but does America have a backbone or not?